Elevated railway.



N.. B. DIXON. EDEVATBD RAILWAY. Ermua-10N rI-L Nov.1s, 19o?.

Patented oct. 6,1908;

c -NAPOLEON BQDIXo'N, or DiXIEyALAnAMA.

ELEvATED RAILWAY.`

Specification, oi'iLettersl Patent.`

Patenten oct. e, 190s.

application sied nvembe 1s, 19m. l ,serial No. 401,983.

To allwhom 'it may concern.' Y i' Beit known that I, `NAPOLEON B. DIXON,

ycitizen ofthe United States, residing at Dixie, in the county of Escambia and State of Alabama, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Elevated Railways, of which the 'following is a specification.

. This invention relates tomeansfor rapidly transporting merchandise or passengers bei tween giyen points which are connected vby an elevated track, said means consistingV of a novel forni `of railwayand acarof peculiar construction, said car being equipped. with sion thereof.`

propellers `to materially assist .inthe propul- For a full understanding ofthe invention and the merits thereof. and also to acquire .a

knowledge of the detailsiof construction and the means for eecting'the result, reference is to be had to the following description 'and accompanying drawings.` f l f lVhile the invention maybe adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: 'i l i f1 Figure l is a transversesectionfof anelevat'ed railway and car embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. l showing the body of the car in dotted lines and the supporting and guide wheels and the propellers in full` lines. Fig. is a detail perspective view ofa modilied form of railway, the main rail being tubular or hollow and the guide rails consisting'of cables. Fig. l is atransverse section of the modification shown in Fig. 3, showing the pulleys cooperating withfthe tubular rail.

Corresponding and likerparts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the sainereference characters.

The track will consist,essentially, lof a" single rail l which is elevated and which may be of any construction or cross sectional outline. A series of posts Vor uprights 2 are located along the prescribed route Sand sup`` port the rail l and adjun'ctive parts. The posts or uprights 2 are planted in the ground and are strengthened by means of foot pieces 3 which may be of any construction so as to provide an extended'surfaee to sustainthe posts 'in upright position and prevent sinking thereof. The posts or uprights 2 may be `or tend, from `located any distance apart according to the weightto be sustainedand the nature of the Vrail supported thereby. Each post or upright is provided near' its upper end with a cross arm 4; secured thereto in any substantial way and strengthened from below by means of braces 5. Guiderails are attached to the outer ends of the cross arms l and may be of1L-form in cross section or of any desired: shape and construction.

, The car 7 ldevised for traveling upon the track, is provided in its bottom or lower side with a longitudinalv depression 8 of approximately V-form to receive the three rails l vand 6, the main rail l being arranged to occupy the upper portion of the depression 8 and the guide rails 6 oppositeside portions thereof. The supporting wheels 9 are located in the upper portion of the longitudinal `depression 8 and are adapted to run upon the rail 1. Guide pulleys l() are arranged. at opposite sides of the depression 8 andengage with the guide rails 6 to steady the car and prevent swaying thereof. The guide pulleys'lO are grooved to receive the guide .rails 6 so `as to' prevent possible displacement of thef-.carfshould the same lurch anycause, to move from the vertical. v1

Power is applied to one or more of the supporting wheels 9 for propelling the car, and said power may be derived from a suitable Inotor, which'in the present instance is preferably of the electric type.

The motor` 11 may be conveniently lo cated and may derive current from any one of th three rails, `preferably from the main rail 1,. one of the guide rails 6 serving as a return. The provision of the longitudinal depression 8 in thebottom of the car ,brings the weight or center of gravity low down,

with -the resultv that` a stable structure is provided, hence the necessity for a nicety of" balancing the car is overcome. Two pro pellers12 are arranged in the longitudinal depression 8, one upon each side of a medial line, said propellers being preferably of conicalformrand having spiral iights or blades. Thev propellers are arranged with their axes forwardly and upwardly converged withthe result thatthe developed force resulting when said propellers are in motion, 'tends to both propel and to lift the car, hence the friction between the car and the supporting rails is materially reduced and thecar enabled to travel rapidly. The propellers 12 are driven from the motor 11 by means of suitable intermediate connections.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the main rail 13 is tubular and is provided in its upper side with a longitudinal slot 14 and at-each side of the slot withchorizontal flanges 15. A spheroidal shaped pulley or wheel 16 is mountedto travel in' the tubular or hollow rail 13 and is mounted in an' arm-17 which has connection with the car and' operates in the slotv 14. Guide pulleys are arranged upon-opposite sides of the tubula-r rail 13, each consisting of two members-1.8 and 19, the member 18-being grooved and embracing the-outer edge portion of the flange 15,. and the member 19 being grooved to embrace thev convex side of they tubular rail 13. The tubular rail 13 is mounted upon the upper ends of the posts 2. Cables 20-secured to the ends of the cross arms 4 of the posts, perform the same function. as the gu-ide rail 6.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed-as new is:

1. In combination, a hollow rail having a longitudinal slot in its upper side, a pulley arranged to travel within said rail, and guide pulleys at opposite sides of the rail and eoperatin-g with the said pulley to steady and prevent displacement of the part to which the several pulleys are' attached.

2. In transporting means of the character specified, the combination ofY a main rail, oppositely disposed guide rails arranged in a lower plane than the main rail and equidistant from a lineV passed perpendicular throughsaid main rail, a car having al longitudinal depression in its bottom to receive themainand guide rails provided with supporting wheels and guide pulleys, and propellers located in said longitudinal depression upon opposite sides of a. medial line and adapted to exert both a lifting and a pulling force.

3. In' combination, a tubular rail of approximately circular outline in transverse section and having a longitudinal slot in its upper side and having horizontal lianges projected outward from the longitudinal edge portions of the rail bordering upon the slot, a pulley arranged to operate within the rail, and sets of guide pulleys at opposite sides of the "ail, one pulley of each set being grooved and embracing the outer edge portion of the horizontal iiange with which it cooperates, and the other guide pulley being grooved to conform to the outer side of the main portion of the rail.

4..In combination, a hollow rail of'ap proximately circular outline in cross section and having a longitudinal slot in its upper side and outwardly extended fianges at opposite sides of the said slot, a bracket, a spheroidal shaped pulley mounted in said bracket and' arranged within the rail, and sets ol" pulleys mounted upon said bracket, and ai'- ranged at opposite sides of the rail, one pulley of each set being grooved to embrace the edge portion of the cooperating flange and the other pulley being grooved to enibrace the side of the rail.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

y NAPOLEON B. DIXON.

Witnesses V. B. HILLYARD,

IV. N. INfooDsoN. 

